Harley Quinn #23 Phones It In

I’ve been a fan of Harley Quinn’s character since she debuted in the WB Batman cartoons. She’s a great addition to DC lore, and Amanda Conner has done a lot to cement her place in the DC comic book universe. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti have done a lot for comic books in general over the last ten years. They’re an exciting creative team that I haven’t read enough of, and always enjoy. That being said, this issue was challenging.

The whole thing felt unsubstantial. An overabundance of expositional material paired with uninspired art tested my patience and attention. There was one panel with the Mayor’s bodyguard stiff-arming someone that looked so unnatural that I actually stopped reading to figure out what was going on. Most disappointingly, though, none of the humor landed. We got a Pulp Fiction reference in 2017, and a lot of wackiness with no punchline.

The tool shaped dialogue boxes get points for creativity but were a bit distracting.

I will say that Conner and Palmiotti have Harley’s voice down perfectly, and I really enjoy her treatment as a leading character. There’s a Bugs Bunny-ness about her that they nail which gives her a very defined place in the DC universe. Harley’s character gives me the same joy I get from good Deadpool stuff. I wish there were more of those moments in this issue.

Overall, this issue didn’t engage me or leave me wanting more. It felt like an afterthought. Two out of five stars.